US government China considers arms shipments to Russia

US government: China considers arms shipments to Russia

China is considering, according to the US Secretary of State Antonio Blink the supply of arms in support of Russia in its war against Ukraine. Any weapons delivery to Moscow would cause “serious problems”, Blinken warned on CBS on Sunday. “The concern we have now based on the information we have is that they are considering providing lethal support,” Blinken said, referring to China.

No US fighter jet delivery

When asked what such “death support” meant, the Foreign Secretary said “everything from ammunition to the weapons themselves”. Despite Ukraine’s insistence, Washington maintains its no to supplying fighter jets.

“The focus needs to be on what they can use in the next few months, effectively in the next few months and not the next few years,” Blinken told ABC. Training on Western-style fighters is considered time-consuming and demanding.

usa president Joe Biden I warned Chinese head of state Xi Jinping against handing over weapons to Russia last March, Blinken told ABC. Since then, China has been careful “not to cross that line,” US officials said.

US warns of consequences

Blinken met with China’s top foreign politician, Wang Yi, at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. According to his ministry, Blinken warned of “consequences” if Beijing provided “material support” to Russia in the Ukraine war or helped circumvent Western sanctions.

China is the main remaining partner for Russia, which has been largely isolated internationally since its invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago. Over the weekend in Munich, Wang announced a Chinese peace initiative in the Ukraine war without elaborating.

Prominent Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham, who was part of the US delegation to the Munich Security Conference, called it a grave mistake for China to arm Russia. He was more certain than ever that Ukraine would emerge from the war undefeated, he said. Helping Moscow with weapons is now like buying a ticket on the already sunken Titanic.